Tears of Rain
by IrisMn
Summary: A short fanfic set after Jonathan's death in season 5 in a really cold and rainy day. I hope you like it!


It was raining. It was pouring down. Martha was in her bedroom, sat on the bed with her back against two pillow. An excellent book and a ward herb tea were making her day, letting her to distracther mind from sad thoughts. The rain was insistently knocking against the window, while lightning and thunderbolts tore the sky in that cold and dark night. She turned the page of the book and really concentrated continued her reading, when a thunder and the bell made her jolt. She went downstairs to open the door and found a cold Lionel at the threshold.

- Hi! - said Martha - What a beautiful surprise! Come in!

- Hi! - said Lionel - Thank you!

Together they went in the living room and sat on the sofa.

- I thought you were in Asia!

- I was - Lionel answered - but I was able to get out of it quickly...

- You're talking like if it was horrible!

- It wasn't, but it neither was like staying with you... - said Lionel - I missed you...

Martha nervously got up and Lionel took a breath.

- Sorry, I didn't mean... Martha...

Martha shook her head.

- Martha, I took you a present there... I...

Lionel gave her a present.

- I hope you like it, Martha…

- Thanks... - she coldly said.

She took the present and, without opening it, put it on the table.

- Do you want a cup of coffee?

It was her way to change their talk, but Lionel didn't care.

- Despite my feeling and wishes toward you, I will never, never do anything could damage our present relationship... - Martha didn't say anything.

- Martha, this present... it's just a souvenir, nothing more...

- Yeah, thank you... you're really kind! - she said with a fake smile - Do you want a cup of coffee?

- Yes, I do... thank you - Lionel was downhearted, but he accepted.

Martha went in the kitchen to make some coffee. A lot of thoughts were in her mind, all her feelings were confused, torn and frozen, but Lionel was the only one always able to run them wild without noticing. She just didn't want to accept that Lionel would be able to heal her, to wipe out all her pain and finally taking the pieces of her heart to make her whole.

Martha held back her tears as long as she could, then she let them silently running on her cheek. After a while, Lionel, seeing she didn't come back, went in the kitchen to assure himself she was ok. He found her motionless in front of the stove, he called her many times without receiving any answer. He slowly neared her, almost fearing her reaction, while the rain and thunders were the only things to interrupting their embarrassed silence. When he started to being too close to her, she tried to move but he obligated her to turn around and look into his eyes. His lips parted and showed an upset and sorry expression as she saw her face. He has always said her that he would have always been there for her, but in that moment, seeing her burning tears on her cheek, he understood he wasn't able to endure all that.

- I'm… I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, Martha – Lionel murmured with an husky voice, knowing it was just his fault.

Martha trembled and her tears didn't stop, on the contrary she totally lost the control on them, crying really hard.

- I should go… I should… sorry.

Lionel left the house really upset, not caring about the rain, the mud puddles where he walked with his really expensive shoes or his coat which wasn't buttoned: his mind was too full of remorse and pain.

"Why did I leave her alone right now? I didn't mean to make her suffer! Damn! I didn't think…"

Meanwhile Martha had taken a long breath and had followed him.

- Lionel!

He turned around surprised and Martha reached him, looking at him with fury before to desperately hit him on his chest.

- Why don't you understand how I feel? Why are you doing that to me, Lionel Luthor? Can't you see how much you make me suffer in this way? I… I hate you! You make me feel so guilty… so… wrong… so…

Lionel blocked her with delicacy not to hurt her, to let her give vent to her feelings, so he fixed her for a long time; now that the rain and her tears were just one thing, but maybe it was just that he finally understood the meaning of them. With a fast movement, he took his overcoat and put it on Martha's shoulders.

Martha calmed down and he held her tight against his chest.

- Martha, I love you… - Lionel sweetly whispered her and he felt her shaking hardly between his arms, rebelling against these feelings – But you mustn't be scared, because my feelings don't ask to be returned… I won't ask you anything in return.

- You are Lionel Luthor – Martha coldly said – You always want to have something in return.

Her husband said that so many times that now it was normal to Martha said it too, she said it without thinking, without caring, but Lionel continued to hug her even if she hurt him with these words.

- I understand why you don't trust me… - Lionel said sad – It's just… I hope you'll…

A rumble of thunder let them holding tighter.

Martha closed her eyes for the longest moment ever, smelling his perfume on his almost soaking wet shirt and a question came in her mind.

- Lionel, what do you want more than anything in this world? – Martha asked, her blue eyes pierced him – What do you want more than me?

For a while Martha thought he was gonna answer "nothing", but she was wrong. Lionel sighed hardly because the only thing he wanted more than her meant to give up on his feelings.

- Your happiness – he said – And if I make you suffer, I…

Martha put a finger on his mouth, truly surprised by his answer, because she finally understood the true nature of his feeling and how much she was wrong about him.

- Are you serious? – Martha asked confused – Would you give up on your feelings for me, just for my own happiness?

Lionel nodded and Martha caressed his wet face, feeling his beard against her skin.

- I don't want that.

Martha lifted her face, bringing it near to Lionel's, who didn't move, waiting. Their lips met many times under the cold rain.

They were soaking wet, but they didn't care because they both didn't notice that so much they got carried away by their first kiss together, a kiss who had rain and tears taste, a sweet kiss, a deep kiss, a passional kiss… and she was sure, she felt it, she felt the happiness through her veins went to her heart.

- You are my happiness – Martha whispered with a big smile – Your love is my happiness, your happiness is my happiness…

Lionel smiled and hugged her full of this wonderful joy.


End file.
